Air-supply apparatus for submarine vessels.



PATENTED 00T. 3].y 1905i lllllllllllln f APPLICATION FILED PEB. 17,1905.

' UNITED STATES PATENT option,

AIR-SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR SUBIVIARINE VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application led February 17.1905. Serial No. 246,157.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SIMON LAKE, a citizen ot' the United States,residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and usef ul Improvements inAir-Supply Apparatus for Submarine Vessels, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates more particularly to an improvement in that classof submersible or submarine boats designed for navigation by power otherthan electricity with the hull entirely submerged beneath the surface ofthe water; and it has for its object to provide means whereby when theboat is under way in such condition an air-supply to support combustionin the generation of heat may be available from a device projecting fromthe vessel but slightly above the surface even when the sea is otherwisethan entirely calm, the'temporary submergence of the receiving devicebeing insufficient to permanently cut off the air-supply or permit waterto enter the boat.

The invention consists, primarily, in a casing projecting upwardly oroutwardly from some high portion of the boat, as the conning-tower orsighting-hood, and provided in the upper rearward portion with a lateralair-inlet opening or openings and a water-escape opening in the lowerportion beneath the same, the forward portion of such casing serving, inthe travel of the vessel, to create adjacent its rearward portion atrough-like depression in the surface of the water above which air mayfreely enter through the lateral opening or Y openings and any waterintroduced with the same from time to time falling to the bottom andpassing outward through the lower escapeopening therefor.

The invention further includes an air-duct leading inwardly into theinterior of the boat from the upper portion of the casing provided atits mouth with a valve which is connected with automatic operatingmeans, whereby the rise ot' the water in the casing from any cause abovea certain predetermined level causes the closing of the valve as well asits opening upon the lowering of such abnormal Water-level within ythecasing.

The invention further includes an inner valve disposed at the inner endof the air-intemporarily in case the outer valve should tail to act withsufficient quickness to prevent the entrance of water into the duct.

The invention will be more `fully understood by reference to the annexeddrawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a vessel provided withthe present improvement represented as submerged to the point at whichthe device is designed to operate. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation upona much larger scale; and Fig. 3 a sectional plan view with the sectionplane taken through the air-inlet duct, representing the device with itsvalves in open or operative position.

The hull 1l is shown with the conning-tower 2, surmounted by thesighting-hood 3 and observing-tube 4, and is represented as propelled bytwin screws 5, carried by shafts 6, which may be driven by the usualheat-engines (as gasolene-engines) and electric motors.

Secured to the upper portion of the sighting-hood 3 is the air-inletcasing 7 with depending -rear portion open at the bottom behind thesighting-hood and provided With lateral apertures 8 above the same atthe sides and back. The downturnedmouth of the airduct 9, leading fromthe rearward upper portion of the casing 7 to an aperture in the top ofthe sighting-hood 3, is provided with a valve-seat 10, to which islitted the conical valve 11, mounted upon the stem 12, of which theupper end is fitted to the guide-socket 13 in the top of the duct, andthe lower portion extends downwardly through a stuiiing-box 14 into theinterior ofthe conning-tower within an air-cylinder 15, having itspiston 16 secured to the lower end ot' such valve-stem.

The valve-stem l2 is provided below the valve 11 with a thrust-collar17, between which and the gland of the stuiiing-box is interposed aspring 18, acting to maintain the valve normally closed. The valve 11 isheld open when the device is in practical operation by means ofcompressed air admitted to the upper end of the cylinder 15 from anair-reservoir 19 through a supply-pipe 20, having a three-way valve 21,having a plug with two operatingarms 22 and 23, of which the former isyieldingly drawn by means of the spring 24 toward IOO the cylinder intoposition to operate the valve for opening the connection between theairsupply and the cylinder. The automatic closing of the air-inlet Valve11 is effected by the rise of the water within the casing 7 and thusconnecting the relatively insulated terminals 25 and 26 of an electricalcircuit from the battery 27, passing through the coils of asolenoid-magnet 28, whose longitudinally-movable core 29 is providedl inits outer end with a transverse slot 30, embracing the upper arm 22 ofthe valve 21, whereby the magnet is energized and operated to move itscore in opposition to the spring 24, and thereby operate the valve 21 tocut off the air-supply and release the air previously admitted to thecylinder 15, which is provided with an air-vent hole 31 to admitexternal air beneath the piston, and thus allow the latter to act underthe stress of the spring 18, which closes the valve 11. As a safeguardto insure the closing of the air-inlet valve in case the electricalcontrolling device should fail to act from any cause I provide also inthe lower part of the casing 7 a float 32, having an aperture 33,embracing the valve-stem 12 and provided at the rear side with a lug 34,pivoted by means of a pin 35 to the lugs 36 upon the rear of the casing7. rJhe bottom of the iioat is provided with an eye 37, to which isloosely connected the upper end of a rod 38, passing through astuffing-box 39 into the top of the conningtower, where it is providedwith a transverse slot 40, embracing the lower arm 23 of the air-supplyvalve 21, and beneath the same enters the guide 41, carried by the pipe20. As will be evident, the rise of the float 32 with the water withinthe casing will cause the rod 38 to be lifted, and thereby raise the arm23 of the valve 21 to actuate the air-cylinder, as before described. Itwill be seen that as the outer end of the magnet-core and the lower endof the rod 38 are both slotted, so that only the farther end thereofengages' its respective arm of the air-supply valve, either of theseair-inlet-valve-controlling devices may act entirely independently ofthe other. As a still further safeguard to exclude water from theinterior of the boat by temporary total submergence from any cause theinlet-aperture in the top of the sighting-hood and at the inner end ofthe air-duct 9 is provided with a valve-seat 42, to which is fitted thevalve 43, the top of whose stem 44 is fitted to the guidesocket 45 inthe top of the duct and whose lower portion passes through a bearing 46in a suitable fixed bracket and is screw-threaded upon the lower end, towhich is applied a similarly-threaded socket 47, carried by a cross-bar48 of a drip-pan 49, having an apertured boss in its bottom connected bya swivel-joint with the iexible waste-pipe 50, leading downwardlythrough the interior of the boat and in practice into one of theballast-tanks. Intermediate the valve 43 and the bearing 46 is a Scalvespring 51, surrounding the valve-stern and of just sufficient strengthto supportthe weight of the valve and its connections. When, however,through any cause water passes the valve 43 and is caught by thedrip-pan 49, the additional weight upon the valve overcomes the stressof the spring 51, and the valve is caused to seat itself automatically,and thereby cut o2 the further inflow of water. As the wasteaperture inthe bottom of the pan 49 is very small, the weight thus added ispermitted only gradually to be removed by the escape of the s waterthrough the waste-pipe 50.

When it is desired to maintain the inner valve 43 closed by positivemeans, the rotation of the drip-pan upon the threaded lower end of thevalve-stem 44 causes the latter to be drawn downward by the engagementof the socket 47 with the bearing 46.

From thev foregoing description it will be observed that the presentimprovement is not limited to the precise constructive details hereinshown and described, but may be Varied to a considerable extent withoutdeparture from the scope of the invention.

Having thus set forth the invention, what I claim herein is 1. Thecombination with a submarine boat, of acasing projecting outwardly fromthe hull of the same and provided in the upper portion with lateralapertures, and an opening beneath the same in the rearward portion, andan air-inlet duct leading into said boat from the upper portion of saidcasing.

2. The combination with a submarine boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly from the hull `of the same and provided in the upper portionwith an aperture or apertures and an opening beneath the same in therearward portion, and an air-inlet duct having its mouth directeddownwardly within the upper portion of said casing and leading into theinterior ofsaid boat.

3. -The combination with a submarine boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly therefrom and having its rearward portion at the bottomprovided with a water-escape opening and with an air-inlet aperture orapertures above the same, an air-inlet duct leading inwardly from theupper portion of said casing, a valve within said duct, andautomaticallyactuated means for effecting the closing of said valve whensaid casing is Hooded with water up to a predetermined maximum level.

4. rlhe combination with a submarine boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly therefrom and having its rearward portion at the bottomprovided with a water-escape opening and with an air-inlet aperture orapertures above the same, an air-inlet duct leading inwardly from theupper portion of said casing, a valve within said duct, and meansactuated by the rise of water within said casing for effecting theclosing of said valve.

5. The combination with a submarine boat,

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of a casing projecting outwardly from the hull of the same and havingits rearward portion provided with lateral air-holes and a waterescapeopening beneath the same,an air-inlet duct leading from the upperportion of said casing into the interior of the hull, a valve withinsaid duct, means for operating said valve including an electrical deviceconnected by a normally open circuit with the source of electriccurrent, and spaced relatively insulated contacts in said circuitdisposed within said casing and adapted to be electrically connected byrise of water therein and by such closure of the circuit causing theactuation of said electrical device to effect the closing of said valve.

6. The combination with a submarine boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly therefrom and having an opening in the lower portion at therear, an air-inlet duct leading from the upper portion of said casinginto the interior of the boat, a valve in said duct, yieldinglyactingmeans for maintaining said valve normally closed, means acting inopposition to said yieldingly-acting means for holding said valve open,and a device controlled by the rise of water in said casing for causingsaid yieldingly-acting means to become effective in closing said valve.

7. The combination with a submarine boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly therefrom and open in the lower portion at the rear, an

air-inlet duct leading fromv the upper portion oi' said casing into theinterior or' said hull, a

valve in said duct, a pneumatic cylinder having a piston operativelyconnected withsaid valve` an air-reservoir, a connection from saidreservoir to said cylinder, a valve in said connection, and meanscontrolled in its action by rise of the water 1n sald casing foractuating the last-named valve to control the pneumatic piston inoperating the air-inlet valve.

8. The combination with a submarine boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly therefrom and open in the lower portion at the rear, an

. air-inlet duct leading from the upper portion of said casing into theinterior of said boat, a valve in said duct, a pneumatic cylinder havinga piston operatively connected with said valve, an air-reservoir, aconnection from said reservoir to said cylinder, a valve in saidconnection, provided with a lateral arm, a solenoid-magnet, a core forthe same connected with the lateral arm of said valve, and an openelectric circuit connected with said magnet and having two spacedinsulated contacts within said casing and adapted to be electricallyconnected to close said circuit and thereby cause said magnet to beenergized'to efect the actuation of said connected valve when the waterrises in said casing.

9. The combination witha submarine boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly therefrom and open in the lower portion at the rear, anair-inlet duct leading fromthe upper portion of said casing into theinterior of said boat, an air-inlet valve in said duct, a pneumaticcylinder having a piston operatively connected with said valve, anair-reservoir, a connection from said reservoir to said cylinder, acontrollingvalve in said connection, provided with lateral arms, asolenoid-magnet, a core forv the same connected' with one of the lateralarms ot' said controlling-valve, a float in said casing, a connectionbetween the same and the other lateral arm of said valve, and an openelectrical circuit connected with said magnet and having two spacedrelatively insulated contacts also within said casing whereby the riseof water within the latter will act both to raise said float and toclose the circuit through said contacts to insure the operation of thesaid controlling-valve in causing the actuation of said air-inlet valve.

10. The combination with'a submarine boat, 'of a casing projectingoutwardly from the hull of the same and provided in the lower portionwith a water-escape opening and above the same with lateral air-inletaperture, a duct leading from the upper portion of said casing into theinterior ot' the boat, a valve in the outer end of said duct and anautomaticallyclosing valve at the inner end of said duct.

11. The combination with a submarine'boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly from the hull of the same and provided in the lower portionwith a water-escape opening and above the same with lateral air-inletaperture, aduct leading from the upper portion of said casing into theinterior oi' the boat, a valve in the outer end of said duct, a valve atthe inner end of said duct, aspring for holding the same normally open,and means actuated by a volume of water admitted through said valve forclosing the same.

12. The combination with asubmarine boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly from the hull of the same and provided in the lower portionwith a water-escape opening and above the same with lateral air-inletaperture, a duct leading from the upper portion of said casing 'into theinterior of the boat, a valve in the outer end of said duct, anupwardly-opening valve at the inner end of said duct provided with avertical stem, aspringi'or holding said valve normally open, and adrip-pan carried by the stem of said valve for receiving water admittedthrough the latter and thereby causing the closure of said valveinopposition to its spring.

13. The combination with a submarine boat, of a casing projectingoutwardly from the hull of the same and provided in the lower portionwith a water-escape opening and above the same with lateral air-inletaperture, a duct leading from the upper portion of said casing into theinterior of the boat, a valve in the outer end of said duct, anupwardly-opening valve at the inner end oi' said duct provided with avertical stem, a spring for holding said IOO ISO

valve normally open, a. drip-pan carried by In testimony Whereoflhavesigned my name the stem of said Valve for receiving Water adto thisspecification in the presence of two submitted through the latter andthereby causing scribing witnesses.

the closure of said valve in opposition to its SIMON LAKE. 5 spring, anda Waste-pipe having a flexible con- Witnesses: nection With Saiddrip-pan for leading away L. B. MILLER,

the Water received in the same. HENRY J. MILLER.-

